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ISLAMABAD : (Web Desk)- The leadership of the joint opposition – Leader of Opposition in National Assembly and PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, former president and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chairman Moulana Fazlur Rehman – on Tuesday said that they were hopeful that the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan will be successful and more than 172 members will vote in favour of the move.
Addressing a press conference flanked by former president and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chairman Moulana Fazlur Rehman, PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif said that a consultation of the joint opposition was held yesterday in which it was decided that no-confidence motion against PM Imran would be submitted in the National Assembly today.
He said, “We kept this as a secret and everyone obeyed it, today all the parties signed the requisition and no-confidence motion with their members and today we have submitted it.”
He said that the PTI government has destroyed the country s economy, while inflation and unemployment has increased immensely, adding that today everyone is fed up with inflation and unemployment and the government has mortgaged our generations by taking loans.
The present government while failing on the foreign front tried to make the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) controversial, he said.
Shehbaz Sharif went on to say that Prime Minister Imran Khan has also angered European countries during his recent speech. “We have not made decisions for personal gain but for the people of Pakistan,” he said and added it was totally wrong to say that external conspiracies were being hatched against the PM. The government took the worst revenge in the name of accountability, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chairman and JUI-F chief Moulana Fazlur Rehman said that Shehbaz Sharif has represented the entire opposition and everyone has witnessed in which situation the country has been pushed during the past 3 and half years. Imran Khan tried to promote western civilization and we knew from the beginning that he was a western agent.
The JUI-F chief said that the opposition has not backed away from its narrative from the day one, adding that the 2018 general election was illegal as the mandate of public was robbed and the country was pushed into mess by the incumbent government.
Fazlur Rehman went on to say that the no-confidence motion has been submitted in the National Assembly Secretariat, adding that 5 million houses of the people have been demolished.
The PDM chairman further said that the government’s days are numbered, adding that they never believed mere claims of PM Imran.
“The Opposition has united due to national interest and the no-confidence motion will succeed,” he said, adding that the parties stand with democracy and aim to strengthen Pakistan.
“We believe in success and the nation will soon hear good news regarding the success of the no-confidence motion,” he claimed.
On the occasion, former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari while apologizing for the delay in holding the press conference said that the journalism is a major pillar of democracy and no one has the right to shut anyone s voice.
He said that the opposition decided that it was “now or never”, adding that we will save you [journalists] and future generations, while more than 172 members will vote in favour of the move.
The PPP co-chairman said, “We all sit together, held consultations and came to the conclusion that no single political party can get the country out of this difficult situation and together we will liberate Pakistan from this difficulty.”
Zardari also invited others to help the opposition work together to rid the country and coming generations of this difficult situation.
He assured the media that the opposition had the numbers it needed, saying: “We will get more than 172 votes.”
The former president continued that people within the PTI and their allies were also “fed up” with the government s performance. “They all have to return to their constituencies. What answer will they give when they return?”
In a bid to dethrone Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, opposition members had jointly submitted a no-confidence motion at National Assembly Secretariat.
The opposition had also submitted a requisition to summon the National Assembly session in which the no-trust motion will be tabled.
The motion was submitted by an opposition delegation comprising PML-N leaders Rana Sanaullah, Ayaz Sadiq, Khwaja Saad Rafique, Marriyum Aurangzeb, PPP leaders Shazia Marri, Naveed Qamar and other members.
PPP leader Naveed Qamar said the motion, which calls for the requisition of a National Assembly session, had signatures of more than 100 lawmakers. According to NA rules, in order for a session to be requisitioned to vote on a no-confidence motion, signatures from at least 68 MNAs are required.
In order to make the no-confidence motion against the prime minister successful, the joint opposition requires the support of 172 MNAs. After the filing of the motion, the NA speaker has between three to seven days to summon a session of the NA to conduct voting.
The 342-member National Assembly must have 172 votes for the no-confidence motion to ensure PM Imran Khan’s removal. The opposition claims they have the numbers needed, with Fazl adding that they have been aiming for the number of 180.
The joint opposition had also claimed that they have the support of 28 members of the PTI and others from coalition partners of the government.
